@c5news: "It kept coming at me with teeth and claws." A swimming instructor has told how she was left “dripping blood everywhere” after being attacked by an otter while swimming in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, last week. Lynnette Bellin, a certified infant swimming resources instructor, was at Hidden Beach, on the East Shore, when the mammal attacked. “Oh my god. I had to climb up the rocks to get to the bike path, because the otter was circling and I was scared to death to get back in,” she explained in a social media post about the incident at a place she has swum at, without incident, for 25 years. “So now I’m just freaking out all the people on the bike path because I’m dripping blood everywhere. I didn’t even know there were otters in Lake Tahoe.” In a later post, written from the emergency room, Ms Bellin said she had been swimming for about 30 minutes when “I felt something grab my leg”. “I thought it was a person until I saw the otter, and then it kept coming at me with teeth and claws. I tried to push it away, but this thing was relentless.” Ms Bellin said the otter attacker her for about five minutes: “I was yelling and pushing, and it just kept coming for me.” She told how three sheriffs, rangers and the fire department attended the scene and that a game warden was dispatched to trap it.   “The saddest part of this is swimming in Tahoe is my favourite thing to do that brings me so much peace. And now I’m afraid to get back in.” Ms Bellin, who required 22 stiches to wounds on her face, hands and legs, said her children were now annoyed she has taken over their social media feeds “as the Otter Lady”, but hoped the media exposure would help convey the importance of water safety and how it is a “critical life skill that everyone should know”. The Nevada Department of Wildlife said in a statement that "otters are wild animals and can become aggressive if they feel threatened, cornered or are defending young". The department said it is working with local officials to put up cautionary signs in the area after the incident.

Cantonio :

get rabies shot otters aren't usually agressive

Natasha Eleanor Cumm :

That is otterly unacceptable behavior

N3V3R2L8 :

Defo get rabies shot!

Amy Jane :

you entered the otters home clearly

Carol Ann Cairney :

get rabies prevention treatment asap

zo🦇 :

my toxic trait is believing that this wouldn’t happen to me bc they would immediately sense my good vibes

FlyFreeBeYou :

I spoke to a zoo keeper once, she told me she's rather be in an enclosure with the lions rather than the otters. They have to enter the otters enclosure in a small group. They are vicious bastards!

Jords 🍉 :

This guy right here??

TheGrimPeeper :

thats otterly shocking 😲

🦢☕️༺𝓪𝓹𝓻𝓲𝓬𝓲𝓣𝔂༻☕️🦢 :

it that you?.. obito...

Beanie :

It’s a wild animal, if it feels threatened it’s going to attack. You are entering the otters home, if was probably defending itself. Hope the otter is ok.

Luca :

rabies shot IMMEDIATELY. I don't care how rare it is, theres still always a possibility and rabies is 100% fatal.

James 🇮🇪🎧👽🎧 :

Get a rabies shot asap 😳

juicefan92 :

I think I know the guy

Angel2607 :

Es tut mir sehr leid das dir das passiert ist , aber wenn man in den Lebensraum von Tieren eindringt kann so etwas geschehen. Der Otter hat nur sein Zuhause verteidigt , vielleicht hatte er auch Babys in der Nähe. Tiere sind nicht böse, sie handeln aus ihrem Instinkt heraus.

Kelly w :

They can bite through bones, pound for pound thier bite is as strong as a black bear!! 😳

jk :

omg yourve ruined my view on otters now 😳

Mandymoo :

Get a rabies shot asap

jessica :

madre mía la que le ha dado la nutria

Ruby 🫆 :

girl go get dem rabies shots

🇬🇧 UK Lou :

Daniel❤❤ :

definitely babies nearby

Alexandra Barnett :

here's me thinking otters are peaceful majestic animals

🦦 :

Thought I was on twitter for a sec

Ma vie avec aiden ❤️ :

Il faut juste arreter daller les deranger en fait c tout